ABU DHABI, The United Arab Emirates has been ranked first in the MENA region and 11th globally in the 2022 Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index report issued by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the International Network and Quality Infrastructure (INet QI).
The UAE, listed in the L group of countries (those with a GDP between US$100 billion and US$1 trillion), ranked ahead of countries including Portugal, Singapore, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium.
The index is based on five main indicators: metrology, accreditation, conformity assessment, policy, and standards. The UAE’s quality infrastructure also meets the needs of partners from both the private and government sectors, including manufacturers and suppliers, as well as consumers.
Omar Suwaina Al Suwaidi, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT), said, “UNIDO’s report reflects the UAE’s capabilities and efforts to create a supportive, efficient, innovative, and safe legislative environment. Moreover, MoIAT and its strategic partners, such as the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC), the Dubai Central Laboratory within Dubai Municipality, and the Emirates International Accreditation Centre, as well as other relevant entities in each emirate, aim to continuously upgrade standards, metrology, and regulations according to the latest global developments.”
Hanan Mansour Ahli, Director of the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre, said, “Ranking first in the MENA region and 11th worldwide in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development Index reflects the efforts of the UAE government. It is representative of the government’s clear strategy for making the UAE one of the world’s most advanced countries, in line with the leadership’s vision.”
She added, “Globally, the UAE is ranked first in 152 competitive indicators and in the top 10 in 425 competitive indicators. This is out of the 1,502 indicators that are published by the United Nations and other international organisations, and reported by the centre.”
Dr. Hilal Humaid Al Kaabi, Secretary-General of QCC, commented, “The council supports regulatory and government bodies in implementing quality standards and systems to ensure that products, employees, and processes comply with the relevant standards set by Abu Dhabi, with the aim of enhancing the level of safety and quality of products and raising the competitiveness of those products locally, regionally, and globally.”
Dawood Al Hajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said, “This achievement by the UAE in the Quality Infrastructure for Sustainable Development index is a milestone in our efforts to enhance global competitiveness. It reflects the country’s advanced and integrated ecosystem for quality infrastructure, which contributes to its economic and industrial growth while underlining the quality of its frameworks, accreditations, and standards.
Source: Emirates News Agency